Question for you all with Bud or Shrock skids

[STX4Runner]

I have the RCI skids and am considering adding a brace similar to the one shown below on the Shrockworks skids but have a question. Does this brace attach to the bracket I have pointed to in the picture of my 4Runner? I would guess so, but want to make sure. It seems like if I can do this it will add a bit more strength.

 

[mgrande]

Yeah that should be it

 

[Ducmonsta]

No it's not. It mounts directly behind that piece.

 

[eddiebx]

Cool idea STX, are you planning to weld on a loop to the skid like the BB/shrockworks? If your mind is not made up, I was thinking what might make your life easier is if you make some kind of steel spacer support structure that bolts onto the frame and is tall enough to reach the skid. This way you don't need to figure out how to drill a hole through 3/16" steel to be able to access the bolt hole

 

[Ducmonsta]

Cool idea STX, are you planning to weld on a loop to the skid like the BB/shrockworks? If your mind is not made up, I was thinking what might make your life easier is if you make some kind of steel spacer support structure that bolts onto the frame and is tall enough to reach the skid. This way you don't need to figure out how to drill a hole through 3/16" steel to be able to access the bolt hole

This would be a great idea if you don't mind some noise. Maybe do this with a foam 'spacer' to eliminate the creaking noise you'll get with metal to metal contact. At least the foam will be replaceable.

I'm still trying to play with spacers to eliminate the noise coming from the engine skid to crossmember.

 

[STX4Runner]

Thanks [MENTION=85512]eddiebx[/MENTION] and [MENTION=68685]Ducmonsta[/MENTION]. Those are good ideas. I will consider yours eddie as I don't know how to weld and was going to have to get a friend who does to help. I was also going to have to cut a hole in the skid to thread the bolt through. I assume a hole saw would do the trick, but would probably take a while. I now have some additional options to ponder. This is mostly to beef up that spot as I think a hard hit right there might deform the skid, but I also just like dreaming up small projects to keep me busy!

 

[eddiebx]

This would be a great idea if you don't mind some noise. Maybe do this with a foam 'spacer' to eliminate the creaking noise you'll get with metal to metal contact. At least the foam will be replaceable.

I'm still trying to play with spacers to eliminate the noise coming from the engine skid to crossmember.

Brain fart, I think I forgot to type the rest of my idea earlier, lol. I was going to add, make the height of the spacer a wee bit shorter so you can have room for a stick on rubber pad on the skid plate side. If you measure it out good enough, just make the gap ~1/16"-1/8" less than the thickness of the rubber pad you plan to use, so once you cinch up the bolts it will compress down a bit and be a pretty solid structure.

Duc, any pictures of your engine skid to crossmember issue so we can brainstorm together? (I've yet to throw on my BB skids, so I'd love to see current issues people are having so that I can plan ahead )
[MENTION=80024]STX4Runner[/MENTION] if it was me, I would think about using a hollow square tube (2" receiver hitch tubing if there is room in that area? not sure...) and just weld on a cap and drill a hole in it for a bolt to pass through. Then you can bolt this straight to the frame. Heck you could probably even pop in a rubber hitch receiver plug on the open end and use that for noise isolation, lol. Just food for thought, let us know what you cook up!

 

[DannyLlama]

[MENTION=90834]joshp767[/MENTION] something to consider for future skid updates? I am still sold on RCI skids, just need the right time for funds. Would be a plus to have that support.
[MENTION=80024]STX4Runner[/MENTION] sounds like more work to me than banging the metal back into shape for that one or 2 times that it might get bent right in the corner, iMHO. Best of luck though!

 

[STX4Runner]

Thanks everyone for the ideas! I will take a look sometime this week and see how far back the crossmember mounting location that Shrockworks uses. If it's a few inches back from the original bracket I was thinking about then it will be nearly in line with the bracket the RCIs come with, and additional bracing will not be needed. I want to add in here that I am totally sold on RCIs skids. The price is great, Josh is great to work with and they have held up to some hard hits. Like I said before, I just like coming up with little projects to keep me busy.

 

[MAST4R]

Thanks everyone for the ideas! I will take a look sometime this week and see how far back the crossmember mounting location that Shrockworks uses. If it's a few inches back from the original bracket I was thinking about then it will be nearly in line with the bracket the RCIs come with, and additional bracing will not be needed. I want to add in here that I am totally sold on RCIs skids. The price is great, Josh is great to work with and they have held up to some hard hits. Like I said before, I just like coming up with little projects to keep me busy.

Did you end up doing anything about it?

My RCI skid has the two cylindrical supports but I have been thinking about linking them by a brace. Not sure it would help, but I don't think it would hurt.

I also like the adding a soft spacer idea, I added soft padding over those, not spacers.

 

[STX4Runner]

Did you end up doing anything about it?

My RCI skid has the two cylindrical supports but I have been thinking about linking them by a brace. Not sure it would help, but I don't think it would hurt.

I also like the adding a soft spacer idea, I added soft padding over those, not spacers.

I got a Budbuilt front skid after I trashed the RCI one in Moab a couple of years ago. It survived three trips to Moab before it got bent pretty good. The Budbuilt one is stronger and has more bracing. But, my RCI was their very firs version, and it had very minimal bracing. I think their newer versions have much more reinforcement.

 

[MAST4R]

I got a Budbuilt front skid after I trashed the RCI one in Moab a couple of years ago. It survived three trips to Moab before it got bent pretty good. The Budbuilt one is stronger and has more bracing. But, my RCI was their very firs version, and it had very minimal bracing. I think their newer versions have much more reinforcement.

So that's what happened. I don't have KDSS so mine is different. Yes, the current RCI is strong. I bent the "door" but that was because I hit a rock at speed. I have dragged the skids over rocks but it is all surface scars. Plenty of them, but superficial.